At a Glance

  • Congress extended the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) through 2026.
  • The majority of SDP funding is used for T1D.
  • The SDP will receive $200 million, an increase of $40 million from 2025.
  • This funding is the annual record-high since the program began in 1998.
  • The SDP provides the majority of NIH’s T1D-specific research budget and is essential in pushing forward Practical Cure research.

February 4, 2026

Earlier this week, Congress signed into law an extension of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) through December 31, 2026, ensuring that critical funding is earmarked for T1D. The law notably bolsters the program’s impact, increasing funding from $160 million in 2025 to $200 million through 2026. This is the highest funding power the SDP has wielded since its inception.

The SPD was introduced by Congress in 1998. Its purpose is to allocate funding specifically to T1D research to treat, prevent, or cure the disease. This money is managed and allocated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and makes up a large portion of the NIH’s T1D-specific funding. Much of this funding is used for large, multi-year studies, such as TEDDY and TrialNet, as well as supporting a wide range of early-stage and experimental work.

The extension and strengthening of the SDP is a win for the T1D community. The best outcome for the increase in funds is that it accelerates cure research. JDCA hopes that much of this additional funding will be used for research aiming to protect insulin-producing cells from the autoimmune attack, which is a critical puzzle that must be solved for a Practical Cure.

The T1D community thanks US Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus. Thanks also go to Breakthrough T1D and other diabetes-focused organizations for keeping the fight to continue renewing the SDP on their agendas.

 

For further information:

Susan Collins: https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/.
Breakthrough T1D: https://www.breakthrought1d.org/.